Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping
Abstract
Doping of CdTe using Group-V elements (As, P, and Sb) has gained interest in pursuit of increasing the cell voltage of CdTe thin film solar devices. Studies on bulk CdTe crystals have shown that much higher acceptor concentration than the traditional copper treatment is possible with As, P or Sb, enabled by high process temperature and/or rapid thermal quenching under Cd overpressure. We report a comprehensive study on in-situ As doping of poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells by MOCVD, whereby high acceptor densities, approaching 3 x 1016 cm-3 were achieved at low growth temperature of 390 degrees C. No As segregation could be detected at grain boundaries, even for 1019 As cm-3. A shallow acceptor level (+0.1 eV) due to AsTe substitutional doping and deep-level defects were observed at elevated As concentrations. Devices with variable As doping were analysed. Narrowing of the depletion layer, enhancement of bulk recombination, and reduction in device current and red response, albeit a small near infrared gain due to optical gap reduction, were observed at high concentrations. Device modelling indicated that the properties of the n-type window layer and associated interfacial recombination velocity are highly critical when the absorber doping is relatively high, demonstrating a routemore »
- Authors:
-
- Swansea University (United Kingdom)
- Middle East Technical University, Ankara (Turkey)
- Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
- Northumbria University (United Kingdom)
- University of Liverpool (United Kingdom)
- Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca (Saudi Arabia)
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1501659
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-73483
Journal ID: ISSN 0927-0248
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 194; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0927-0248
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CdTe; group-V; doping; thin film; photovoltaics; MOCVD
Citation Formats
Kartopu, G., Oklobia, O., Turkay, D., Diercks, D. R., Gorman, B. P., Barrioz, V., Campbell, S., Major, J. D., Al Turkestani, M. K., Yerci, S., Barnes, Teresa M., Beattie, N. S., Zoppi, G., Jones, S., and Irvine, S. J. C. Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025.
Kartopu, G., Oklobia, O., Turkay, D., Diercks, D. R., Gorman, B. P., Barrioz, V., Campbell, S., Major, J. D., Al Turkestani, M. K., Yerci, S., Barnes, Teresa M., Beattie, N. S., Zoppi, G., Jones, S., & Irvine, S. J. C. Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025
Kartopu, G., Oklobia, O., Turkay, D., Diercks, D. R., Gorman, B. P., Barrioz, V., Campbell, S., Major, J. D., Al Turkestani, M. K., Yerci, S., Barnes, Teresa M., Beattie, N. S., Zoppi, G., Jones, S., and Irvine, S. J. C. 2019.
"Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1501659.
@article{osti_1501659,
title = {Study of thin film poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells presenting high acceptor concentrations achieved by in-situ arsenic doping},
author = {Kartopu, G. and Oklobia, O. and Turkay, D. and Diercks, D. R. and Gorman, B. P. and Barrioz, V. and Campbell, S. and Major, J. D. and Al Turkestani, M. K. and Yerci, S. and Barnes, Teresa M. and Beattie, N. S. and Zoppi, G. and Jones, S. and Irvine, S. J. C.},
abstractNote = {Doping of CdTe using Group-V elements (As, P, and Sb) has gained interest in pursuit of increasing the cell voltage of CdTe thin film solar devices. Studies on bulk CdTe crystals have shown that much higher acceptor concentration than the traditional copper treatment is possible with As, P or Sb, enabled by high process temperature and/or rapid thermal quenching under Cd overpressure. We report a comprehensive study on in-situ As doping of poly-crystalline CdTe solar cells by MOCVD, whereby high acceptor densities, approaching 3 x 1016 cm-3 were achieved at low growth temperature of 390 degrees C. No As segregation could be detected at grain boundaries, even for 1019 As cm-3. A shallow acceptor level (+0.1 eV) due to AsTe substitutional doping and deep-level defects were observed at elevated As concentrations. Devices with variable As doping were analysed. Narrowing of the depletion layer, enhancement of bulk recombination, and reduction in device current and red response, albeit a small near infrared gain due to optical gap reduction, were observed at high concentrations. Device modelling indicated that the properties of the n-type window layer and associated interfacial recombination velocity are highly critical when the absorber doping is relatively high, demonstrating a route for obtaining high cell voltage.},
doi = {10.1016/j.solmat.2019.02.025},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1501659},
journal = {Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells},
issn = {0927-0248},
number = C,
volume = 194,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}
Web of Science
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